Method of utilizing an expansive force.



H. A. HUMPHREY. METHOD OF UTILIZING AN EXPANSIVE FORGE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1911.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Ill]

INVEIJTUR dgI/ESSES A TTURHEY.

- H. A. HUMPHREY.

METHOD OF UTILIZING AN EXPANSIVE FORGE.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 27, 1911.

1,086,326. Patented Feb. 3, 19141 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVEN TOR A TTORIIEV.

H. A. HUMPHREY.

METHOD OF UTILIZING AN EXPANSIVE FORCE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1911.

1,086,326. 7 Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'IIIIIIIIIIIII WITNESSES: I INVENTOR a W%/ W er mwmgbfiw MW A TTOHNEY.

H. A. HUMPHREY.

METHOD OF UTILIZING AN EXPANSIVE FORCE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,1911,

1,086,326, Patented Feb. 3, 19143 [I TTORHEY.

STATES PATENT o moE.

HERBERT ALFRED HUMPHREY, or LoNnoir,-niiGnaNn.

METHOD OF UTILIZIN speciflcafleh 61mins 5am, Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

Application men June 27, 1911. seri n 835,571.

To all whom) it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT ALFRED HUMPHREY, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing in London, England, have invented a new anduseful Method of Utilizing an Expansive Force, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relatesto improvements in the method of utilizing anexpansiveforce,

and belongs to the same art, as-the methods described in severalof mycopending appl cations for example, application No 43$,42 filed June13,1908, in which appllcatlon I 7 describe the method whereby a columnof the improved method whereby the intake of liquid is propelledoutwardly from a com- .bustion-chamberby the energy of expansion of anignited combustible charge, and acolumn of liquid flows inwardly due tohead or pressure, toward a combustion chamberto compress a freshcombustible charge; the intake of fresh liquid being caused by thediminution of pressure in the rear of the col-. umn due to the momentumof 'the outwardly propelled liquid. v

The present invention relates especially to fresh liquid is securedduring the inward movement of-the column toward the combustion chamber,or partly during both outward and inward movements. This intake ofliquid is due tothe movement of liquid flowing from ahigher to a lowerlevel or to the energy stored in one or more elastic cushions.

- My object is to provide an improved method whereby the liquid may beentrained in such manner either from a high level source of supply or alow level source of supply as may be suit-able for existing conditions"4aofoperation.

Referring to the drawings, which are largely diagrammatic, and. whichillustrateby way of example, means or; apparatus.

whereby my said method is effected Figure 1 is a vertical section ofsuch apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the air chamber.

and discharge end of the device somewhat modified. Fig. 3 isa verticalsection of the air chamber and discharge end with further modifications.Fig. 4.- is a similar view with still further mmlifimitinns. Fin. 5 isa: eimi.

and low, level liquid supply and means for meeting the varyingconditions; resulting from diiferent levelsof said supply. Fig. 6

vis a longitudinal vertical section of a device stored energy isutilized to cause the aforesaid movement and the intake of fresh liquid.The energy of liquid already at suitable elevation may be used to causethe intake of fresh liquid from another supply. As an example, Iwillassume the apparatus employed is of the type described in application byHumphrey and Rusdell No. 438,426

filed June 13, 1908, in which there is a single combustion chamber and aplay or delivery pipe. There are two outward and two inward movementsof" the'liquid column per cycle. At the 'end of the play pipe away fromthe combustion chamber, the column communicates with an elastic cushion,such as the air in an air vessel, and with a pressure delivery pipe, andwith an inlet pipe for the admission of fresh liquid. These two pipesare fitted with non-return valve s opemng outwardly and inwardlyrespectively. -When expansion occurs in the combustion 1 chamber theoutwardly propelled column of liquid first compresses the elasticcushion, until the pressure of delivery is attained, and then forcesliquid past the nonreturn valve into the delivery pipe. When the columncomes 'to rest, the last mentioned valve closes, .ahd an inward movementof the column is caused by the ex enditure of energy stored in thelastic cushion, and, velocity is given to the column, the kinetic energyof 'which ,is partly utilized'in causing the usual exhaust of burntproducts and compression of anelas'tic cushion in the combustion chamlmrSH'IH hn-i'Hv in nnneihn an intnlrn n Fmmh the column is caused by theexpansion of the last mentioned cushion and results in the im take offresh combustible charge in the coinbustion chamber, and the compressionof the first mentioned cushion. After which the expansion of thesaidfirst mentioned cushion gives rise to the'second inward movement of theliquid column which compresses the fresh combustible charge in thecombustion chamber.

In order to utilize liquid which has been elevated, or which alreadyexists at a suitable elevation to cause an intake of fresh liquid fromanother supply, during the inward movement of a column of liquid, Iplace the combustion chamber at a lower level than the supply of freshliquid. The valve for the liquid intake is located at a distance fromthe combustion chamber, so that a mass of liquid may reciprocate between the chamber and the liquid intake. For instance. the liquid columnmay rise from the combustion chamber to the point at which the liquidintake occurs, and then the column may be continued onward to a place ofhigher level or pressure. When combustion and expansion occur in thecombustion chamber thewhole of the liquid column is propelled outwardlyuntil the pres sure at that part of the column where the intake occursis low enough to cause such intake. The length of that part of the wholecolumn, which is between the combustion chamber and the liquid intake,may be so proportioned to the part which is beyond the intake, that thekinetic energy of the first part shall be expended before that of thesecond part, and the first partof the column shall, by virtue of thedificrence of levels between the liquid intake and the chamber, begin toreturn toward the chamber before the second part of the column has cometo rest. It is not even necessary that the second part of the columnshould averse its direction of flow. The fall of the first part of thecolumn away from the second part causes or permits the intake of freshliquid between the two parts of the column, and the energy of thefalling liquid may be used partly to draw fresh liquid into the columnthrough the liquid intake and partly to exhaust burnt products and tocompress an elastic cushion in the combustion chamber. The cycle iscontinued by the expansion of the cushion in the combustion chamber,causing a second outward movement. The return of the first part, or ofthe whole of the column under its head or pressure, toward thecombustion chamber, gives the second inward movement which compressesthe fresh combustible charge.

When it is not convenient to place the combustion chamber below thelevel of the liquid intake, then a difference in pressure may beutilized to draw in the fresh liquid instead of a difference of level,as in the last case described. Such pressure difference is most readilyobtained by allowing the burnt gases in the combustion chamber to expandbelow atmospheric pressure, until the partial vacuum is sufficient tobring'about the desired intake of fresh liquid during the inward.movement of the liquid column toward the chamber.

In Fig. 1 the play pipe 2 is shown broken. The pump may be of thetwo-cycle or fourcycle type, examples of which have been fully describedin my copcnding applications referred to. It is here representeddiagrammatically as'a combustion chamber 1, which is shown in Figs. 1and 6 only, since the present invention is concerned with the apparatusat the other end of the play pipe, where the pipe turns upward into anair vessel 3, fitted at its lower part with non-return valves l for theadmission of liquid, and, above these, with non-return valves 5 for thedischarge of liquid. Above the valves 5 is a space adapted to containair. Surrounding the discharge valves and the upper part of chamber 3,is a delivery chamber 6, also adapted to serve the purpose of an airvessel. Surrounding the lower portion of 3 and the valves 4 is a chamberor receptacle 7, containing a supply of liq-- uid. In Fig. 1 thisreceptacle 7 is shown as an open tank. An inlet 8 for low pressureliquid, and an outlet 9 for liquid under pressure are shown.

The method of operation is as follows: Vhen combustion and expansionoccur in chamber 1, the column of liquid in play pipe 2 moves outwardlyfrom said combustion chamber, and, as the liquid inlet valves 1 andliquid discharge valves 5 are all fs'hut, air is compressed in 3 by theliquid rising therein. When the pressure in 3 attains or exceeds thepressure in chamber 6, valves 5 are forced open, and liquid isdischarged into 6 and through pipe 9. The compressed air in 6 serves togive a more or less continuous flow in pipe 9. \Vhen the kinetic energyof the column of liquid has been expended in forcing liquid into'6, and;the liquid comes to rest, the valves. 5 close. There is now compressedair in 3, which, on expanding,-causes a return flow of the column ofliquid toward chamber 1. Kinetic energy is acquired by the column, sothat it continues to move, after the pressure of the air in 3 has fallento that at which valves 4 open and admit fresh liquid from 7 into 3.This fresh liquid, entering through valves 1, follows the moving columnin play pipe 2. If the pump is of the two-cycletype, the

moving column is brought to rest by compressing a fresh combustiblecharge in chamher 1, the ignition of which starts a fresh cycle. If thepump is of the four-cycle type, the moving (I Minn is brought to rest bycombefore compression begins.

abscess I pressing an elastic cushion, the expansion of which causes thesecond outward movement and the compression of the air in.3, imd thisair, expanding again, gives the second re turn movement of the liquidtoward chamber 1, which compresses the fresh combustible charge therein.

In the case just considered in connection with Fig. 1, the level of theliquid a a in 7 is above the valves 4, but in the constructionillustrated in Fig. 2, the level of thegliquid to be raised, is at a 0,below valves.4. In this case the energy stored in the air compressed in3, by the working stroke of the pump, must be such as to secure energysufficient to raise, from the level a a, the fresh liquid to passthrough valves 4, as well as to give the required compression inchamber 1. This is secured by having relatively more air in 3, so thatwhen compressed to the pressure at which liquid is delivered throi ghvalves 5, the total store of energy is great er, and the kinetic energyimparted to the column of liquid, by the expansion of the air,

- is sufficient to prolong theexpansion of the air below atmosphericpressure, and so cause liquid to be sucked up from level a a.

In Fig. 2 the chamber- 7 is shown as a *cylindrical vessel open at thebottom and dipping into the supply liquid, and the upper or closed endmay contaln air under a partial vacuum and so constitute an air vesselto assist the operating of valves 4 without shock. As the volumetricchanges of the gaseous contents at the pump end,

during the,working stroke, should correspond with the volumetric changesofthe air in chamber 3, together with the water discharge, it isdesirable that there should be means to control these volumetricchanges. At the pump end, the volumetric change can be increased byallowing scavenging air to be drawn into the combustion chamber, .or byallowing the burnt products to expand below atmospheric pressure. In mycopending application Serial No. 618,242 filed'Mar. 31, 1911, .I haveshown how an excess of combustible mixture .or scavenging air may be.taken in and rejected again, thus providing a greater volumetric change.Again in my copending application Serial No; 444,061 filed July 17 1908,I have shown how the quantity of air compressed by a liquid column canbe varied by allowing some of the air in the compressor chamber to berejected In Fig. 3 this principle is applied as follows: In the top ofchamber 3 a dip pipe 1 0 is provided, fitted with a valve 11. adapted tobe shut by impact ofthe rising liquid. Assumingthat the level of theliquid'in chamber 3is b I), when the working stroke of the pump begins,and that valve 11 is open, air is discharged past valve 11 into theatmosphere, until the liquid reaches this valve and closes the liquidcolumn comes to. rest, is aknown it. A quantity of air is entrappedabove -valve 11, and compressed by the further displacement by thewaterrislng in chamber 3,.without increasing the volume of air actuallycompressed.

It is generally a condition that the ignited gases in the pump orcombustion chamber should expand to atmospheric pressure, and thiscondition fixes the minimum volumetric displacement at the 'pump end.Also, the mean efiective pressure during such expansion must not beexceeded by the mean pressure in chamber 3 during the working stroke.Finally as the compression pressure of the fresh combustible charge isusually a fixed amount, the energy to be stored in the elastic aircushion in chamber-3, when quantity. It follows from a consideration ofthese conditions that the higher the pressure, at which liquid isdelivered into chamber 6, the greater is the surplus energy which can bestored in the compressed air and utilized for lifting liquid throughvalves 4 without exceeding the desired volumetric change of thecompressed air in chamber 3. The arrangement of the parts in Fig. 3,difiers from that in the previous fi ures in that the valves 4' are, inthis case, placed in a horizontal part of the pipe 2, close to thechamber 3; an arrangementwhich is some'- times convenient for structuralreasons.

In Fig. 4 there is above chamber. 3, an additional chamber 12, and thesetwo chambers communicate through a dip pipe 13 controlled by a valve 14,which operates in a similar manner to valve 11 of Fig. This og,modification renders possible the following cycle: On the working strokeof the pump, the liquid level in chamber 3 starts from b b, and valve,14 is open. As the liquid rises in chamber 3, air is compressed inchambers 3 119 and 12, until valve 14 is shut by the liquid. The air in3 above the level of valve 14 is now further compressed until valves 5open and liquid is, dischargedinto air vessel 6.

W en the liquidicolumn has come to rest, 115 the ir in the top ofchamber 3 first expands. until it has the pressure'existing in 12, andthen valve 14 opens and the air in both 12 and 3 expands, giving thereturn movementof -the liquid column toward the combustion 12o troducingmore or less liquid into chamber 12, the capacity of this chamber forair; and the energy available when this air is compressed, arev altered.This device is usclac sion therein.

ful when the level a a of the liquid is variable, since it enables thestored energy to be adjusted to meet the varied level.

Fig. 5 shows a construction similar to that in Fig. 2, but modified todeal with a wide range of conditions as regards the levels of liquid.Suppose the lowest level of supply liquid is at a a, below theapparatus, and the highest level at A A, above the apparatus and alsoabove the level of the Combustion chamber of the pump. Air pipes 18, 19-and 20, fitted with suitable cocks, serve to supply air under pressuretochambers 3, 6 and 7 respectively,- or to dischar e air from thesechambers. It will be un erstood that delivery pipe 9 is a long pipe, orof such sutlicient length that the momentum acquired by the liquidflowing therein, shall be suflicient to produce the desired eiiects. Bysuitably altering the quantities of air in the chambers 3, 6, and 7, itis possible to puup liquid through the range of supply levels from a ato A A. As an extreme example, suppose the supply level is A A, and

that liquid is delivered at the same level. If there is little or no airin chambers 3 and 6, pipes 2 and 9 may be considered as one deliverypipe, and on the working stroke of the pump, the liquid in these pipesis accelerated until the pressure of the ignited gases in the pump isequal to the static head of liquid A A above the level of the liquid inthe combustion chamber. From this point the liquid in 9 movesindependently of the liquid in 2, and fresh liquid flows in by way ofpipe 17 and valves 4 and 5 to follow the liquid in 9, but the liquid in2 is retarded, due to the head A A, until the movement ofthe liquid in 2ceases, and then is reversed in direction to give the compression strokein chamber 1. As pipe 17 can supply both pipes 9 and 2, the liquid in 9need not-reverse its flow and a very large volume of liquid will bedelivered.

" If we assume that the supply level A A falls more nearly to the meanlevel of the liquid in the combustion chamber, it is evident that thehead available for producing the compression stroke becomes less. Toremedy this more air can be introduced into chamber 6 and to permit a.greater movement in pipe 2, and consequently a longer return stroketoward the combustion chamber, thus maintaining the desired degree ofcompres- When level A A. falls, until there is no longer suflicient headabove the pump to operate in the manner last mentioned, more air can beintroduced into chamber 3, so that the energy for the return stroketoward the combustion chamber may be stored by the compression of thisair in the way already described. Coming now to the other extreme, Wherethe level of the supply liquid is at a a, the case becomes thatdescribed in connection with Fig. 2, where accesses the air compressedin 3, expands below at- .mospheric pressure and so permits the necessaryvacuum to suck liquid from level a. a through pipe 17 into theapparatus. Thus by changing the quantities of air in the severalchambers of Fig. 5, either by'hand or automatically, according to thelevel of the supply liquid, it is possible to utilize the same apparatusthroughout the whole range of levels, while maintaining the desiredcompression pressure in the combustion chamher for the eliicientoperation of the pump.

In Fig. 6 the liquid has to be raised from a a to c c, and thecombustion chamber 1- of the pump is at a lower level than a a. The playpipe 2 is continued by pipe 9, and at the junction of these two pipes isthe liquid inlet valve 4. On the working stroke of'the pump, valve 4 isshut and the liquid in pipes 2 and 9 is accelerated. These pipes may beso proportioned with reference to each other and to the liquid levels,that the liquid in 2 loses its kinetic energy first and comes to rest,while the liquid in pipe 9 is still moving onward. The return flow inpipe 2 now occurs and fresh liquid is drawn in past valve 4, some ofwhich may flow into pipe 2 and some into pipe 9 to follow the movingliquid. If the pump is a tour-cycle pump, exhaust and cushion occur inchamber 1, fol- 'lowed by the second outstroke and the intake of freshcombustible charge, and in the compression of this charge. It ispossible to utilize the whole of the difference of head between 0 c andthe combustion chamber,

thus securing a high degree of compression. 0n the other-hand, if themass of liquid in pipe 9 is great enough to cause the flow to becontinuous there will be no return flow in this pipe, and thecompression will depend on the difference of level between 9: a andchamber 1. In either case, by placing chamber 1 low enough, the degreeof compression can be made to exceed that which would be produced itonly the'ditt'erence of head between a a and c 0 was available.

The precise action of apparatus such as are herein described dependschiefly on the relative inertias of the moving masses of liquid, theposition and air contents oi the air vessels operating in conjunctionwith theliquld columns, and the pressure changes through the workingcycles.

Many other modifications, than those illustrated, are possible, and itshould be observed that the intake of liquid, in the manner describedherein, does not preclude the intake of liquid by methods described inmy earlier specifications, since the present invention is applicable topumps in which a portion of the fresh liquid is taken in at thecombustion chamber end of the column.

What 1 claim is 1. The method which consists in reciproeating a body ofliquid, onejmovement of said reciprocation being due to the expansion ofan expansible charge, a return movement due to energy stored, utilizingthe said return movement to effect an intake of fresh liquid. y

2. The method which consists in reciproeating a column of liquid, onemovement'of said reciprocation being due to the expansive force of acompressed combustible charge communicated to one end of said column, areturn movement due""t o energy stored. utilizing said return movementof the column to effect the intake of liquid at approximately the otherend thereof.

3. The method which consists in reciproeating a column of liquid, onemovement of said reciprocation being due to an expansive forcecommunicated to said liquid column at approximately one end thereof, andutilizing the movement of the column of liquid whereby'fresh liquid atlow pressure is introduced at the other end of said column.

4. The method which consists in reeipro' eating a' body of liquid, onemovement of. said reciprocation being due to the expansion of anexpansible charge, a return movement due to energy stored,'utilizing thesaid return movement to effect an'intake of fresh liquid and controllingthe intake. r

5. The method of moving or forcing liquid which consists inreciprocatingv a column of liquid, one movement of said municatedto saidliquid column at a proximately one end thereof, utilizin t esaidreciprocative movements oft o liquid whereb liquid is discharged andfresh liquid introduced at thev other end of said liquid column. 7

6. The method which consists in -reciproeating a column of liquid, onemovement of said reciprocation being due to an expansive forcecommunicated to said liquid elastic cush ons and utilizing the expansion'rest. liquid being due to an'expansive force comof both cushionsincausing a return -movement of the liquid column.

- 8. The method which consists in reciprocating'a column of liquid, onemovement of said reciprocation being due to an expansive forceCOIIlIl'lllIllCfltGd to sa d liquid column at approximately one end"thereof, utilizing the movement of the liquid column to compress twoelastic cushions at the other endof the column, utilizing the expansionof one of said cushions to cause a return move-- ment of theliquideolurhn, and utilizing the expansion of both cushions to causeanother which consists in reciprocating a column of liquid, one movementof said liquid being or forcing r.

due to an expansive force communicated-to said liquid column at a pointbelow the level of the liquid supply, whereby the liquid is reciprocatedbetween the expansive force and the liquid supply, the points'ofcommunication of the-expansive force, of the liquid intake and of thehigh liquid level;

being so related'that the part of the column between the liquid intakeis proportioned to the part beyond intake, that the kinetic energy ofthe first part shall be expended before that of the second part, and thesaid first part of the column shall begin the return flow-before thesecond part comes to 10. The method of moving or forcing liquid betweena low level and a high level, which consists in reciprocating a columnof liquid, one movement-of said liquidbeing due to an expansive forcecommunicated to said liquid column, and utilizing the movement of theliquid column to compress an elastic cushion and causing the volumetricchanges of the expansive charge and of the elastic cushion tocorrespond.

11. The method of moving or Y forcing I liquid between a low level and ahigh level,

which consists in reciprocating a column off liquid, one movement ofsaid liquid being due to an expansive force communicated to said liquidcolumn, and utilizingthe movement of the liquid column to compress anelastic cushion and eausin the volumetric changes of: the expansive carge and of the elastic cushion to correspond and of the liquiddischarge;

A HERBERT ALFRED *mmrlmrr. Witnesses:

' JOSEPH MILLARD,

WAn'rna J. SKERTEN.

